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iOS 13 isn't coming to the iPhone 5S, iPhone 6 or iPad Air
Bad news if you're still rocking an iPhone 5S, iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus and hoped to install iOS 13 -- Apple won't support the latest version of the OS on those devices. Owners of the original iPad Air, iPad Mini2 and iPad Mini 3 will miss out on the swanky new iPadOS as well.
After Math: 'Musked' opportunities
It was a week of near misses and closer hits than the tech industry probably would have wanted. Amazon's Alexa "accidentally" recorded more than a few customers' private conversations, Apple's iPhones turned out to be bendier than anticipated, and that PUBG chicken dinner of yours wound up being harder fought than anybody had previously thought.
Apple reportedly knew the iPhone 6 was bendier than previous models
When Apple responded to complaints about bent iPhone 6 devices, it said damage caused regular use is "extremely rare." It also reiterated that the model went through durability testing to make sure it can withstand daily use and even invited the press to show how it conducts stress testing. Now, internal documents from a court filing have revealed that Cupertino knew from the start that the iPhone 6 was 3.3 times more likely to bend than the iPhone 5s. The bigger 6 Plus? It was 7.2 times more prone to bending.
Latest iOS beta shows how battery health settings will work
In a letter to Senator John Thune, Apple confirmed that it would bring transparency to the way its iPhones handle CPU slowdowns due to aging lithium-ion batteries. If you have an Apple Developer account, you can check out the solution the company has baked right into its upcoming iOS 11.3 release. As first noticed by 9to5Mac, the iOS 11.3 beta has a new "Battery Health" system preference screen, with a "Performance Management" section.
Apple may offer rebates on full-price battery replacements
In early January, Senator John Thune's office sent Apple a letter regarding the company's practice of slowing down iPhones when batteries start showing their age. The letter asked if Apple had thought about replacing batteries for free (instead of the company's plan to offer reduced-price $29 replacements). The senator also asked if Apple had notified customers of the slowdown "feature," and if older iPhones had seen similar strategies. Apple has responded to Thune with its own letter, thanking him for his inquiry.
Apple CEO: iPhone owners will be able to disable 'power management'
About a month ago, Apple explained that slower performance of older iPhones is intentional, implemented as a "power management" plan through an iOS update. While it was ostensibly intended to prevent phones from crashing in situations when their worn-out battery couldn't supply enough juice to support demanding functions, owners are upset they weren't notified it was happening. In fact, it was only discovered through benchmarks. In an apology, Apple lowered the price of battery replacements and promised an iOS update that would inform users when the phone detects battery problems. Tonight, in an interview with ABC News, CEO Tim Cook said that not only will owners be able to check the health of their battery, but they can also turn off the performance-slowing power management, with a warning that it could lead to unexpected restarts. Cook said "maybe we should have been clearer," and that Apple's motivation is always the user, making sure their phone is available for an important photograph or making an emergency call. Will this tweak be enough to head off a slew of lawsuits? Only time will tell, but our first peek at the feature will come in a developer preview later this month.
Apple will replace your iPhone battery even if it passes tests
Apple now has $29/£25 iPhone battery replacements available as an apology for its approach to handset slowdowns. But do you need to wait until your iPhone actually slows down before paying for a fresh power pack? Apparently not. MacRumors has confirmed an iGeneration report that Apple will replace the batteries on iPhone 6 or newer models whether or not they pass the usual diagnostic test (which recommends a replacement if the battery falls below 80 percent of its original capacity). In other words, you can go ahead if your phone just isn't lasting as long as it used to.
Apple's $29 iPhone battery replacements are available a month early
Apple was only poised to offer discounted iPhone battery replacements in late January, but they're already here. The company has issued a statement announcing that the $29/£25 replacements are available today (December 30th) in the US, UK and elsewhere for affected users with an iPhone 6 or later, whether or not they have an active AppleCare warranty. It didn't explain the move beyond saying that it "expected to need more time to be ready," but it was "happy" to provide the lower prices "right away." It warned that there might be initial shortages of batteries for some models.
Apple says slower performance of older iPhones is intentional
You're not alone if you've noticed a slowdown in the performance of your older iPhone. The thing is, it may be more related to your battery than the phone itself. After a post on Reddit and a followup by benchmarking software Geekbench's founder, Apple told TechCrunch that it released a fix for premature shutdowns last year for iPhone 6, 6s and SE by smoothing out CPU demand when a battery is older, cold, or just low on juice. Apple also said that it recently extended this slowdown feature to iPhone 7 devices running iOS 11.2, and plans to "add support for other products in the future."
China says Apple isn't cloning a local phone maker
Did it seem ridiculous to you that Beijing officials ordered a ban on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus over a dubious design patent claim? You're not the only one. A court has reversed the ban (which was suspended during a dispute process) and declared that Apple isn't violating the patents of Shenzhen Baili Marketing Services, which insisted that the iPhone 6 riffed on the look of its 100c smartphone. Regulators issued the ban without real proof of wrongdoing, according to the ruling, and the iPhone has traits that "completely change the effect" of its design versus its (frankly very generic-looking) rival. Customers haven't had a problem telling the difference between the iPhone and 100c, the court says.
Russia finds Apple guilty of fixing iPhone prices
Google isn't the only American company facing regulatory trouble in Russia. The country's antitrust body has ruled that Apple is guilty of fixing prices for iPhone 5 and 6 variants at 16 local retailers. Reportedly, the company tracked prices at these stores and would ask them to raise the price if it was ever deemed "unsuitable." If they didn't comply, Apple supposedly had the authority to terminate their reseller deals without so much as an explanation.
Latest version of iOS solves iPhone 6's shutdown issues
Some iPhone 6 and 6s devices have been randomly shutting down over the past several months. iOS 10.2.1 was designed to fix the issue, and Apple says it has successfully solved the problem for most people who've already installed it. Cupertino told TechCrunch that 10.2.1, which has already been downloaded by roughly half of all iOS users, has led to an 80 percent reduction of unexpected shutdowns in iPhone 6s and 70 percent reduction in iPhone 6. TC says the affected phones unexpectedly shut down due to sudden spikes of activity in older iOS versions that cause older batteries to malfunction.
Apple will fix iPhone 6 Plus 'touch disease,' for $149
A number of iPhone 6 owners and independent repair techs have been complaining for months about something called "touch disease" killing their phones, and now Apple is responding. The problem's symptoms have been described as a flickering gray bar across the top of the screen and problems with the touchscreen responsiveness, which continue to get worse until it's addressed or the phone is unusable. Repair techs like Jessa Jones have reported seeing multiple devices per day afflicted by the same problem, with no end in sight. Going by Apple's description of its "Multi-Touch Repair Program for iPhone 6 Plus," the problem is really the owner's fault, caused by "being dropped multiple times on a hard surface and then incurring further stress on the device." Still, if you have the problem and your screen isn't cracked, Apple says it will fix the issue for $149 (or £146.44 in the UK), and its repair program is available for five years after the original sale date.
T-Mobile tells iPhone owners not to install iOS 10 just yet (Updated)
T-Mobile issued a stern warning to its customers against downloading and installing the new iOS 10 update to their existing 6, 6 Plus and SE iPhone models. According to the T-Mobile website, doing so will, cause the handset to "lose connectivity [to the T-Mobile network] in certain circumstances." Once that happens, the user can only re-establish their network connection by fully powering down the phone and restarting it. That said, the company does expect Apple to push a corrective patch live within the next 48 hours.
Your iPhone 6 could be falling victim to 'touch disease'
If you've seen a flickering gray bar at the top of your iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, you may be the victim of a serious problem plaguing your mobile device. According to iFixIt and Forbes, the issue is widespread enough to warrant several pages of complaints via the Apple support forums. The problem is, both the repair techs who continually see the issues coming in and the customers taking to the internet to make their concerns known aren't seeing much done about it.
Chinese firm claims Apple copied its design for iPhone 6 (update)
It's tough for foreign companies to do business in China, so much that even Apple is having a hard time. After the iTunes Movies and iBooks Store ban back in April, the previous generation of iPhones have recently been accused of infringing the design patent of some random Chinese company's "100C" smartphone under the "100+" brand. Don't laugh, because the Beijing Intellectual Property Office has since ordered Apple to stop selling its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in Beijing, with the reason being the general consumers won't be able to tell the "minute differences" between Apple's design and the 100C. No, really.
Apple says the iPhone-breaking Error 53 is a security measure
If you're an iPhone owner who hasn't had a run-in with the dreaded Error 53, consider yourself lucky. The error — which usually forces iPhones with replacement screens or home buttons into a boot loop after attempting a software update — was widely considered a bug until Apple cleared things up in with The Guardian earlier today.
Move over Mophie, Apple has a $99 Smart Battery Case
When I reviewed the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus earlier this year, I lamented the fact that companies like Apple seemed more eager to build thinner phones than improve the battery life. That industry-wide trend made battery cases a near-necessity, and now Apple wants a slice of that market too. Enter the Smart Battery Case, a $99 (£79) add-on for the iPhone 6 and 6s that packs an extra 1,877mAh battery into a... curious-looking silicone frame. You can nab one for yourself starting today, but before you do that, let's take a closer look at the company's handiwork.
Rumor: Apple has an updated 4-inch iPhone due early next year
Want a handset with Apple's fancy new A9 processor, a colorful metal case and a slightly smaller display? GHI Securities' Ming-Chi Kuo says you're going to get one. According to the analyst's latest research, Apple is on track to launch a 4-inch Apple 5 successor in early 2016 -- painting the picture of a device with the same A9 processor as the iPhone 6s, NFC support for Apple Pay, a metal case with multiple color options and a $400-500 off-contract price tag aimed at the budget market.
HTC exec defends One A9's design: Apple copies us
You don't need perfect vision to see that HTC's latest smartphone, the One A9, is nearly identical to Apple's iPhone 6 and 6s. But the Taiwan-based company swears Apple copied its design first, not the other way around, pointing to its One M7 and M8 flagships as proof -- both came out before the iPhone 6 series. According to Want ChinaTimes, during a recent press briefing in Taiwan, HTC's North Asia President Jack Tong responded to claims calling the A9 an iPhone clone. "We're not copying. We made a unibody metal-clad phone in 2013 [the year the M7 was released]," he said. "It's Apple that copies us in terms of the antenna design on the back."
